Old Pond Publishing

January 2012

01/26/2012

The Farm Tractor Handbook, George Sherwood. Hardback book, 175mm x 122mm, 224 pages inc. 61 black and white photos and 58 line illustrations. ISBN: 978-1-908397-20-1. Now in stock at Old Pond at £14.95.

First published in 1918 to show the range of tractors working in Britain at that time, The Farm Tractor Handbook is now a collector’s item. This edition is a complete facsimile.

By 1918 the case for the agricultural tractor had been made and there were many companies producing a wide range of designs. Author George Sherwood’s aim was to help the farmer ‘choose out of the ever-growing number of different makes'.

He begins with some principles: the internal combustion engine; carburation, lubrication and cooling; ignition; transmission and steering. Throughout these chapters clear cut-away diagrams are supplemented by photographs of the tractors of the day.

George Sherwood gives practical information on starting and repairs. A chapter on horsepower and drawbar pull leads on to major sections on the different types of tractor and plough, and then to ploughing itself and belt work. Final chapters deal with steam ploughing - then coming to the end of its 60-year era - and converting a touring car into a tractor. According to the Rejax advetisement 'Many Fords are lying idle. Use them to increase the capacity of your limited labour and of your land'.

An Appendix lists the principal tractor makers and agents in the United Kingdom. There is a full index and there are also some fifty advertisements from the agricultural engineering companies of the time.

The book includes tractor designs which were short-lived and exist, if anywhere, as rarities, such as Martin’s Self-Contained Three-Furrow Motor Plough. At the other extreme, the Fordson makes its appearance.

This book can claim to have made a significant contribution to the body of knowledge which increased the acceptance of the farm tractor in the United Kingdom.

01/05/2012

The second part of Chris Lockwood’s Beet Harvesters in Britain (see previous blog) will cover the period 1995-2012.

The focus is on advances such as having more axles to spread the massive weights involved, more rows and more technical monitoring. The programme will also cover the recent trend towards specialised ‘beet chasers’ in the field and specialised cleaner-loaders.

Here are stills of six examples.

Probably the most well-known six-row beet harvester in Britain today: the Vervaet 17-tonner.

It is believed there's currently only one 12-row harvester at work in the UK, which is this 2003 Agrifac Hexa.

A Gilles two-stage set-up, which is more popular on the continent and rarely seen in the UK.

The Vervaet Beet Eater 625 is another popular harvester.

The Ropa Euro-Tiger is one of the largest harvesters currently available on the UK market.

Emerging from the sea-mist, a Holmer Terra-Dos T3 harvester empties into a Holmer Terra-Transport beet transporter.

Chris Lockwood, whose most recent DVD The Maize Silage Campaign is selling strongly, has now turned his attention to filming beet harvesters. He has collected some 75 examples, all working on farms; none of them are from working days.

Old Pond Publishing plans to release a set of two DVDs in April under the title Beet Harvesters in Britain. The photographs below show some of the models from the first programme which covers machines manufactured during the period 1960-1995.

A well-known classic of the '60s; the Standen Rapide single-row harvester. This one is being drawn by a Fordson Super Major.

Another popular machine, a Ransomes 33A single-row tanker working behind an MF 148.

The Standen Cyclone must be an icon of the British beet industry. This late example uses an IH 474 skid unit.

A 1990 French-built Moreau GR4 six-row harvester at work on a foggy day.

An early tanker design from Holland, this Vervaet & Heyens 12-tonner dates from 1993.

Farm Office Handbook is a practical reference source for anyone involved in farm administration, from someone tackling farm paperwork for the first time to experienced staff seeking to improve their skills. It has been produced through the collaborative efforts of a team of professional farm administrators.